Hiro Ballroom

Wedged awkwardly in the basement of Meatpacking District’s Maritime Hotel, Hiro (you get a sense that they’re going with a Japanese theme here) hosts hot-shit DJ collectives, music industry schmooze fests and the occasional must-see American debut from bands that often look as good as the well-scrubbed crowd. Drinks can be hard to come by (even when shelling out $12 for a vodka tonic) due to a natural bottleneck on the narrow stairs leading to the bar. So pack a flask (and some biz cards is you’re into that sort of thing) next time you RSVP for a “super duper secret 1 a.m. exclusive” performance the venue is known to boast, er, host.

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